Barcelona
'La Sagrada Familia Church' This church is Barcelona's most famous tourist attraction and welcomes over 3 million visitors a year, so expect long queues to get inside. This unfinished basilica is one of the most famous buildings in the world and a definite must-see in Barcelona. It was designed by famous Catalan architecht Antoni Gaudi over 100 years ago. The original foundation stone was laid in 1882, when the area was mostly fields. In 2012 the splendid interior was finally finished and is now open to the public, but the outside is still being built and is at 65% completion in 2013. Only 8 towers of the 18 spires are finished. It is expected that Sagrada familia church will be finished in 2026 for the 100th anniversary of Gaudi's death in 1926 and 144 years after building started. Fountain Show The Font Mágica Fountain. The Magic Fountain is a "must see" Barcelona attraction. You have never seen a fountain like this. It really does feel magic to experience the beautiful show of water, light and music. The Magic fountain was built in 1929 as one of the main attractions for the Barcelona World Fair and the Font Magica is still one of the most famous spots in Barcelona with an estimated 2.5 million visitors annually. There are water and light shows in the summer from Thursday to Sunday and admission is free. See show times below. Please note that sometimes due to exhibitions and events access to the fountain can be closed. Visit the Magic Fountain by metro to station Picasso Museum Barcelona The Picasso Museum is in the Born area of Barcelona and is Barcelona's most famous museum and a top attraction. The Picasso museum celebrates 50 years in 2013 with three special anniversary exhibitions. Pablo Picasso was born in Malaga but lived in Barcelona from 1895 to 1904 after his family moved to Barcelona. Picasso's father was an art teacher. Pablo Picasso had already started his art studies in Malaga, but Barcelona was a huge influence on his early years as a struggling painter and Picasso first exhibited his work in Barcelona and considered himself from Barcelona. The Picasso museum in Barcelona does not have any of the most famous Picasso paintings, but the collection is unique. Las Ramblas Street La Rambla is another must-see. Also called Las Ramblas The Spanish poet Federico García Lorca said about La Rambla, "It is the only street in the world which I wish would never end." La Rambla starts at Plaza Catalunya and ends at the Monument of Columbus at the Port Vell harbour of Barcelona. La Rambla it is not a spectacular sight, but very pleasant to stroll down and enjoy the human heartbeat of Barcelona. If you have not strolled down it, you cannot say you have been in Barcelona. Also called Las Ramblas as it is really a collection of various stretches of street with different names. During the day and early evening completely safe and free to visit. However, be careful of pickpockets on La Rambla and in the Metro stations nearby. In the early hours of the morning 2-4am be wary on lower part of La Rambla near the harbour. Barrio Gotico Area of Barcelona The Barrio Gotico gothic quarter is the old medieval city of Barcelona, which is built on and around the old Roman town of Barcino.. The oldest part of the city has many beautiful churches, plazas, markets and museums. You can see parts of the old Roman walls and beneath the history musuem Museu d'Història de la Ciutat , you can see remains of Roman houses and streets of Barcino. Modernist Park Guell by Gaudi ''' Park Guell by Antoni Gaudi. Park Guelli is a UNESCO Worid Heritage Site and considered one of Gaudi's top works. Parc Guell is a top attraction and definite must see. It is on Carmel hill and seeing this site means some uphill walking. The original plan for Parc Guell was to build a private and exclusive residential garden city with 60 houses on the grounds. The plan to sell houses on this development failed due to lack of interest, and in 1923 the site was given to the city council and it became the public park we can all marvel at today. Difficult to get to due to uphill walking but worth seeing. Visit by taking hop-on-hop-off tour buses or metro to station Vallcarca. '''Modernist Buildings Modernist buildings Barcelona. Modernisme was a Catalan cultural movement centred in Barcelona and Catalonia from 1888 to 1911. It is most famous for its architectural expression in particular the many works of Antoni Gaudí. There are a handful of modernist buildings in Barcelona that are outstanding. Three of them are in the one Barcelona city block called the “Illa de la Discòrdia” - the "Block of Discord" on the street Passeig de Gracia. They are "Casa Amatller" designed by Josep Puig i Cadafalch, "Casa Batlló" by Antoni Gaudi and "Casa Lleó-Morera." A little further up the street Passeig de Gracia on the opposite site is one of Gaudi's most famous buildings in Barcelona called "Casa Mila" - nicknamed "La Pedrera" (the Quarry). which is picture above. At Casa Mila you can take a guided tour, see exhibitions and enjoy summer concerts on the roof terrace and enjoy a coffee or drink in the new Casa Mila cafe on the first floor. Montjuic Hill and Poble Espanyol Spanish Village Montjuic hill and Poble Espanyol de Barcelona - the Spanish Village of Barcelona. Montjuic hill has many parks and attractions including an old fort at the very top called Montjuic Castle which has a rich and dark history and fantastic views of Barcelona. The other big attraction on Montjuic hill is a unique Spanish village called Poble Espanyol which was built in 1929 for the Barcelona 1929 World Fair and Universal Exposition. The Poble Espanyol village was an architectural experiment to create a village, which would represent all of Spain's different styles of architecture. Due to popular demand it was left intact after the exhibition and now houses a wide variety of cafés, summer open air night clubs, restaurants, over 40 superb handicraft shops and a great programme of concerts and events, especially in the summer. You can also enjoy an very good quality flamenco show called El Tablao de Carmen at Poble Espanyol which includes 1 hours free entrance Poble Espanyol. Tibidabo Hill A visit to Tibadabo is a fun thing to do in Barcelona and great for kids. The views of Barcelona are fantastic and there is a small and fun vintage amusement park at the top, which is open in the summer from March to September. You can reach the top of Tibadabo via a vintage Blue Tram which connects to a mountain railway, Or take the bus from the Plaza Catalunya directly to Tibidabo. The fun-fair is closed in winter, open at weekends in spring and autumn and generally open from Wednesday to Sunday in summer, but check before visiting.